Oscar's Book Prize 2019: Call for ‘left-field’ entries to our £5,000 children’s book award

Katie Law @jkatielaw13 January 2020

Children's Laureate and bestselling author-illustrator Lauren Child is joining the judging panel for this year’s Oscar’s Book Prize.

The creator of much-loved characters Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola, said she will be on the look-out for authors and illustrators “with left-field ways of looking at the world” when the judges meet to choose the shortlist of five and the winning title in April.

“We’re great at giving prizes for unusual adults’ books, but not so good at praising people who have different ideas about children’s books. Things need to broaden out and be a bit more extraordinary,” she said.

Also new to the panel is Sarah Brown, of children’s charity Theirworld and the Global Business Coalition for Education. She said the prize was “a brilliant way to highlight early learning … and the impact of stories and illustrations on inquisitive young minds.” Joining her is Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, director of books at Amazon UK, which, together with the National Literacy Trust, is supporting the prize for the third year running.

Oscar’s Book Prize is held in memory of Oscar Ashton, who died aged three-and-a-half from an undetected heart condition in 2012. His parents James Ashton, ex-Standard City Editor, and Viveka Alvestrand will return as judges.

Standard editor George Osborne said: “Oscar’s Book Prize celebrates that greatest literary achievement — a book for young children that stays in our memories — and commemorates Oscar, who never leaves our memories.”

The winner of the £5,000 award will be announced at the May Fair Hotel in London on May 9. Submissions close at 5pm on Friday, March 1.

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